Binder-hitch.



J. RUTZ.

BINDER HITCH.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 13, 1910.

79,79, Patented Dec. 27, 1910.

Witnesses:

Attorneys.

lnventol;

J. RUTZ.

BINDER HITCH.

APPLICATION FILED SBPT.13, 1910.

Patented Dec. 27, 1910.

2 SHEETBHHEET 2.

Witneses:

Jhzzzfz. n m

Attorneys.

A'ENT OFFICE.

JOHN BUTZ, BEACH, NORTH DAKOTA.

BIN DER-HITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 27,1910.

Application filed September 13, 1910. Serial No. 581,768,

specification.

This invention relates to binder hitches. The object of the invention is, in a ready and practical manner simultaneously to operate two or more grain binders from one enine, and in such mannerthat one will not interfere with the other, whereby the time and labor incident to harvesting afield will be reduced to a minimum and a pronounced saving in the cost of the procedure will be achieved.

With the above and other objects in view, as will appear as the nature of the invention is. better understood, the same consists in the novel construction and combination of parts of a binder hitch, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, and in which like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts: Figure 1 is a view .in the nature of a diagram displaying the manner of connecting and positioning three grain binders.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of so much of the grain binder as 13 necessary to an understanding of the invention. Fig. 3 is a view in rear elevation of certain of the mecha- "nism. Fig. 4 is a view in side elevation of another portion of the mechanism. Fig. is an enlarged detail plan view of a portion of the mechanism shown in Fig. 2. Fig. (3 is a sectional detail view of a portion of the tongue operating mechanism. Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 77 Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates generally the frame. of a grain binder which a is supported upon the usual wheels'not necessary to be shown. It may be stated at this point that as the cutting and binding mechanisms have nothing whatever to do with the present invention, they are omitted as their inclusion would obscure the parts that are employed in the structure and thus lead to confusion. It is also tobe understood that the mechanism is duplicated on each binder, so that a description of one ,will serve for all. Arranged in front of the binder is a second frame embodying a beam 2and a tongue rest 3 secured to the beam,

cured to the engine (not shown) in the.

usual manner. The tongue is caused to swing through a prescribed arc-by means of a screw 10 that works in a swiveled nut 11 (Fig. 6) carried by the underside of the tongue. The screw connects through a universal joint 12 with a shaft 13 on which are keyed two bevel gears 14 and 15 the. shaft being journaled in a bracket 16 bolted to the rest 3. The gears are designed to be engaged alternately or otherwise by a pinion 17 carried by the lower end of a shaft 18, the upper end of which is connected through a universal joint 19 with the lower end of a second shaft 20 the upper end of which is journaled in one of the rear frame bars of the binder frame and projects therethrough and carries a sprocket wheel 21 driven by the main sprocket chain 22 actuated by the movement of the machine in the usual manner. The lower end of the shaft 18 is journalcd in a collar 23 loose. on the shaft 13, thus to permit the pinion accurately to be brought into mesh with either of the gears 14 and 15. The shaft 18 eX- tends through an oriticcd lug 21 carried by a plate 25 that works in a guide 26 provided with overhanging flanges 27, the guide 24' being supported by and rigid with the bracket 16. As shown in Fig. 5, the lug 2-1 is arranged to slide in the guide 26 and its two ends are engaged by two coiled springs 28 and .29. that bear against the inner walls of the bracket 16. These springs are so arranged as to maintain th pinion 1T normally out of engagement wit the gears 14- and 15. v into mesh with either of these gears, there is a bell crank lever 30 provided which is pivoted upon the bracket 16. one arm of the lever being coimected with the plate 25 and the other with a rod 31 that extends to andis connected with a shifting lever 32 a1 ranged adjacentto the ope 'ators seat 33, and being provided with usual spring latch 34 to interlock with a toothed segment 35'to hold the pinion in a shifted position. The

To bring the pinion tongue and carries on each side thereof an adjustable stop collar 38. From this arrangement it will be seen that the instant the lug contacts with either of the collars,

the rod will be shifted and thus unmesh the gear and pinion.

In order to connect one grain binder with another, each is provided with a reachbar 39 that extends rearward beyond the binder frame and connects with the tongue 40 of the next adjacent binder, this order being maintained throughout the series.

In operation, the operator of each ofthe binders determines the width of the cut to be made by the character of the grain. Thus for instance if the forward binder were running through very heavy grain, the operator of this machine would cut say only one half of the length of the knives, while the second and third binders might be running through lighter grain and would cut the full width of the knives.

It will be obvious that by the employment of the device of this invention that any number of binders may be employed in connection with one engine, their number being limited only by the power of the engine.

What is claimed is:

1. Means for swinging the tongue of a binder to change its line of travel, comprising a screw operatively connected with the tongue, reversing gearsto transmit motion to the screw,' apinion driven from the main drive chain, and means for shifting the pinion as required.

2. Means for swinging the tongue of a binder to change its line of travel, comprising a screw operatively connected with the tongue, reversing gears a-rranged' to'transmit motion to the screw, a pinion driven from the main drive chain of the machine to actuate either of the gears, means for shifting the pinion as required, from the ope *ators seat, and automatic means for shifting the pinion at the limit of the swing of the shaft in either direction.

3. Means for swinging the tongue of a stay/0e binder to change its line of travel, comprising a screw operatively connected with the tongue, reversing gears arranged to transmit motion to the screw, a pinion driven from the main drive chain to actuate either of the gears, manual means for shifting the pinion asrequired, automatically operating means to shift the pinion at the limit of the swing of the tongue in either direction, and means for centering the pinion relative to the reversing gears.

4. Means for swinging the tongue of a binder to change its line of travel, comprising a screw, a swiveled nut carried by the tongue and with which the screw engages, a train of reversing gears, a shaft including a universal joint connecting with the screw, a pinion interposed between the gears, a

shaft carrying the pinion and driven from the main operating chain of the machine, a

guide in which the latter shaft is supported,

means for shifting the guide to bring the pinion into mesh with either of the gears,a lug carried by the tongue, a rod secured to the guide and passing through the lug, and collars carried by the rod and arranged to contact with the lug whereby to shift the tongue automatically at the limit of the swing in either direction.

Means for swinging the tongue of a binder to change its line of travel, compris ing a screw, :1 swiveled nut earned by the tongue and with which the screw engages, a

train of reversing gears, a shaft including a universal oint, connecting with the screw, 4

a pinion interposed between the gears, a shaft carrying the pinion and driven from the main operating chain of the machine, a guide in which the latter shaft is supported, means for shifting the guide to bring the pinion into mesh with either of the gears, a lug carried by the tongue, a rod secured to the guide and passing through the lug, collars carried by the rod and arranged to contact with the lug whereby to shift the tongue automatically at the limit of the swing in either direction, and resilient means for centering the pinion relative to the reversing gears.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN RUTZ.

Witnesses:

PETER RUTZ, F. E. HEATH. 

